An unusual trio - an affluent businessman, a criminal, and a lawyer meet in a rather downmarket restaurant in Glasgow in the late 1950's.William Watt, the businessman, is the prime suspect in the murders of his wife, daughter, and sister in law, however, he's been released due to lack of evidence. Watt needs to clear his name and the arranged meeting is with criminal Peter Manuel, who claims to know the whereabouts of the gun used in the murders, and also the identity of the killer. The lawyer D...

Denise Mina conjures the the 1950s period Glasgow and makes it come alive with its grime, divisions, hard men, and criminal underbelly. This is a city run by the police knowingly aided by crime bosses to enforce order, although big changes are in the air such as redevelopment. This is a man's world, where women are treated desperately badly. This story is Mina turning her hand at fictionalising aspects of the true crime notoriety of Scotland's serial killer, 'The Beast of Birkenshaw', the hated

The Long Drop by Denise Mina is a 2017 Little, Brown and Company publication. This fictionalized account of Scotland’s notorious serial killer Peter Manuel is a gloomy and gritty portrayal of Glasgow in the 1950’s. This unforgiving backdrop sets the stage for this story that centers around William Watt, a prime suspect in the killing of his wife, daughter, and sister-in-law. Watt, though, suspects Peter Manuel of the triple homicide. But was Watt as innocent as he claimed? Watt and Manuel, ironi...

The Saracen’s Head, Glasgow, 1953; from Picture Post© Haywood Magee/Picture Post/Getty ImagesA mix of real crime and speculation, it’s more a study of the time and place and the characters involved than a thriller or murder mystery. The trial and horrific crimes are old news. The all-night pub-crawl of Peter Manuel and William Watt is the only mystery. Manuel murdered Watt’s family and raped his daughter. At the time of the meeting, he wasn’t the police didn’t consider him a suspect for those cr...

I'm a fan of Mina's writing style, but this wasn't the book for me. It is based on a true crime in Glasgow in 1957. There is no mystery, no goodness, no hope, no puzzle to solve. Just the facts and they are bleak. Her ability to describe the bleakness? Second to few, I imagine.

Denise Mina is one of my favorite authors working today. She's a fantastic story teller, and reading this book, I felt like I was sitting across from her at a bar hearing about this true-crime case directly from her mouth. One of the many things Denise excels at is exploring real criminals; not the Hannibal Lecter types, but the actual, true life criminals who aren't clever or charming but who are just normal people making bad decisions and stupid mistakes. Some of them are more flawed than othe...

"The Long Drop" is a fictionalized story about a real multiple murderer named Peter Manuel - who's known as 'Scotland's First Serial Killer.' Peter ManuelManuel was convicted of killing seven people across southern Scotland in the 1950s, and was hanged at Glasgow's Barlinnie Prison in 1958. The trial scenes in the novel are based on transcripts of Manuel's actual court proceedings. Barlinnie Prison*****As the book opens in December 1957, a man named William Watt is accused of killing his wife, s...

I was really disappointed in this book. I had high expectations after reading glowing reviews but for me it got bogged down in minute details and I found myself skimming. However, the story was interesting and the writing was excellent. I will definitely try this author again.

This is a literary retelling of the final days & trial of Peter Manuel, a serial killer who was hanged in Glasgow’s Barlinnie Prison on July 11, 1958. Nicknamed “the Beast of Birkenshaw”, he was convicted of 7 murders & suspected of others. On Sept. 17, 1956 Glasgow businessman William Watt’s wife, daughter & sister-in-law were murdered while he was away on a trip. But police were under tremendous pressure to make an arrest & decided Watt was as good a suspect as any. He spent more than 2 months...

The Long Drop is based on true events; it refers to a method of capital punishment. The story builds to and ends with the judicial hanging of Peter Manuel. It begins about the time I was born and for no other reason than this would pique my interest. However, it is the writing in broad strokes and highlighting the finer details that sustains my enjoyment of the writing, about a Glasgow perhaps no longer remembered but a murderer who will never be forgotten.You feel that Mina has sat you down in

This is a very interesting fictional recreation of an actual crime, trial and punishment scenario from the late 1950s Scotland, and a standalone departure from Mina's mystery series. The criminal and crimes are known; this book recreates the process of finally identifying and trying him as well as proposing possible scenarios for others' culpability or complicity in what happened after the murders and before arrest and trial. It is a fascinating reconstruction of another era of policing, another...

I received an exclusive extract of the first chapter of The Long Drop thanks to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing in exchange for an early review.What atmospheric brilliance! This first chapter had me stepping back in time feeling myself immersed in another time and place as the modern day around me slipped away. As I settled into the rhythm of the writing I found it hypnotic and enticing and quite simply wanted more, one chapter was not going to be enough. Mina's characters are instantly aliv...

Set in the late 1950's in Glasgow, Peter Manuel has been found guilty of a string of murders and is waiting to die by hanging. Every good crime story has a beginning and Manuel's starts with of William Watt's family.Peter Manuel was a real life Scottish serial killer. This is a non-fic-fictional novel that the author has weaved a story around, while the author at aye true to the facts. This is a fantastic insight into Glasgow, policing and justice systems of the era. A book that quickly pulls yo...

This is based on a true story. It’s around a year before I was born 1957.The serial killer Peter Manuel.Halfway through I thought I’d google about this to give myself a bit of clarity compared to the real event. It helped me a lot to get some questions answered in my head.I have to say, I’ve never heard of this before. It was an interesting account and disturbing.

I first came across Denise Mina when I read the collection, “Bloody Scotland,” and her contribution blew me away. I was determined to read more by her, but, where to start? Unsure of which of her series to try first, I decided on her stand alone novel, “The Long Drop,” which is based on the crimes of Peter Manuel and which was highly recommended by friend, and fellow reviewer, Nigeyb.This novel is set in Glasgow, during the 1950’s; alternating between Manuel’s trial in 1958 and events in 1957 –

This is the first book I've read by Denise Mina, but it won't be the last! I found this novel instantly exciting and by the time I got to 30% I was hooked and couldn't put it down, finally finishing it at 1:30 in the morning. This novel drips with menace and chills you to the bone in some parts, it's really a fantastic and quick thriller read.This book tells the story of Peter Manuel, real life Scottish serial killer. Like with so many other books on the market nowadays, this is a non-fic-fictio...

THE LONG DROP was this author's first attempt at writing true crime. This is the story of Peter Manuel and the murder of three women in the family of William Watt. In the beginning, Glasgow police held William Watt as the prime suspect in the killings. Watt determines to clear his own name since the police don't seem interested in looking any further for the real killer.When he reaches out asking for information, he receives a letter from Peter Manuel. He claims he knows who the killer is, deman...

Winner of the Gordon Burn Prize 2017, and the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year 2017 A gripping, semi-fictionalised account of the crimes and trial of Peter Manuel, aka the Beast of Birkenshaw, a late 1950s Scottish serial killer.The Long Drop is a quick and easy read. Immersive and impressive, it exerts a powerful sense of time and place. These events occurred just before the huge urban renewal of inner city Glasgow and the end of an era of extreme poverty and depravation -...

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.Denise Mina delivers a true crime story infused with fiction as she tells the story behind Scotland’s very first serial killer. Deemed to be the trial of the century in 1950’s Glasglow, The Long Drop recounts the fight for innocence for the accused father, William Watt, and the denial of guilt by the known liar and murderer, Peter Manuel. While the outcome of this story is well-known, Denise Mina offers readers the opportunity to read about a tr...